317...what was it made for?

jbmonkey

jbmonkey

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been looking and thinking about the 317s since they've been topics here recently. as I'm looking at their very large size I'm wondering what were these very large trapper type slipjoint knives designed to do? what tasks at their size were they made for compared to locking large folder or even normal sized trappers, etc?

appreciate any insight....
 
Both Camillus and Case had almost identical models. Maybe this was an attempt by Buck to get a market share.
 
that makes sense for buck. wonder what camillus and case made them for.......simple as a slipjoint folding hunter? that simple?

what was the camillus labeled as a camillus knife called or numbered as? know the case is a 6265.
 
They are a "clasp type folding hunter", according to pg. 198 in Blades Guide To Knives. Case pioneered this pattern in the 1920's.
These have lost ground to some of the modern locking blades of today. Ditto for the large Trapper pattern. Which Remington brought out
this pattern in 1922 with the R1123. Both of these were a general outdoorsman's working knife, a 2 bladed knife that could do about
any task you wanted. From whittling a spoon to field dressing a deer. They covered a wide range of outdoor uses. Us office job types of today don't have the same mindset or needs of the a rural farmer of the 1920 or 30's. But we still find a knife like this useful for cutting up our lunch time apple or cutting lose a grass tangle on the weed-eater. They were economical and well made and would last 2 lifetimes.
I skinned my first deer using a 317. Call us retro but the knife works. DM
 
not gonna call anyone anything, Sir.:) just trying to learn more on the knife. good info appreciated.

clasp same as what I call a slipjoint?
 
The two blade hunter was for field dressing game. The blades are shaped differently for different cutting. The skinning blade for skinning. The clip for cutting the meat.
 
clasp- may be used as a verb or noun. To grip, or something fastened with... So, yes a slipjoint. As in our discussion a 2 bladed knife.
How come folks here go bananas over a 2 bladed 110? Is it not just a 317 with locking blades? DM
 
gotcha. thanks for explaining, Sir.

good point. I actually prefer the 317 in a 2 blade over a 2 blade 110. somehow a 2 blade 110 doesnt really appeal to me. not that I'd turn one down if it fell in my lap on a good deal, but i dont hunt for 2 blade 110s.
 
Bert and David make good sense on their reasoning. But, I tend toward the camp that it is as much as a "because we can".
Camillus was already making them for other people and Buck was coming out with a big line of folders. Before the advent of all the other big folders and lockbacks a nice big folder was cheaper than the 110 and had two blades. And all Camillus had to do is put on slanted bolsters and stamp BUCK on the tang. They had a place along side the 110 in the old counter top display.

There are some versions that show up, mainly because Camillus changed their design. Such as the first version with model number on reverse tang and the very rare (likely test production run) of 317's with rivets in the sawcut Delrin scales. Original sheaths were stamped 317.
GSEA favors them even more than David and has been customizing them with fancy scale materials. They are for guys that like big folders, but I say the same thing about the 110. 300
 
Nice to have 1 blade for rough cutting and one kept razor sharp for fine cutting. I’ve never held a 317, but on the Case version the blades are ground different the clip blade is saber ground the skinner full flat. Giving two very different results. Again one for heavy cutting one for finer slicing or skinning.

The twin knife hunting fixed blade sets were also popular. For the same reasons.

Your question is an interesting one to ask, because the 2 blade folding hunting knife was the standard. Until the Buck 110 came along. People gave up the functionality of two blades for the safety of the lock back.

The two blade hunting knife was literally made by everyone. My Dad had a Western my Granpa had a Frontier.
 
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I am sure the need for a large folder was there long before a lock back came into existence, and as Craig said Buck probably started it because they could and must have been relatively popular back then.

I have always liked the principle of having 2 blades, but for my uses, much prefer the functionality of a lock back. But the 110 2 blade just is too much bulk, I would carry 317 over that I think. Having said that, maybe a 110 slim pro might not be bad with 2 blades???
 
eveled eveled , thanks for posting your link. This 2 blade hunter is still very popular. I pocket carried mine from 1975 to 85, it was a little heavy.
But I liked having 2 large blades. The clip, saber ground blade was thick and not as good a cutter as the trailing/ boning blade. So, I used the boning blade the most for fish, birds and deer and I liked having a lanyard hole. You could do most any cutting task with that knife. DM
 
When I wore out my first 110, my dad gave me his 110 in like new condition and went back to carrying his western 2 blade knife for hunting and fishing.

For much the same reasons David mentions. That is how I came to appreciate the two blade design.

They were throwing away my Grandpas tackle box. (I was 10 or 11 I think) So I got it from the trash. I found his Frontier rusted up solid in the bottom tray. I remember I had to hide it because they didn’t want me to have it. It took some time but I was able to bring it back. It was a lucky find.
 
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This thread needs pictures:D Preston
Here is the 317 and it's two blades.
DSC_0170.JPG

Here are a couple of 300 series Trappers. You can see the 317 blades are not the same as a Trapper
DSC_0098.JPG
 
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